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Brookhaven Town sets date to raze vacant home

The Brookhaven Town Board voted 7-0 last Thursday to demolish this vacant house on Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma. Engineers hired by the town said the structure has fire damage and holes in soffits large enough to see through them. Town Councilman Kevin LaValle said the house, which is in foreclosure, is in danger of collapsing. Photo Credit: Ed Betz

A vacant Ronkonkoma house that has been used as a drug den could collapse if its owner does not immediately make repairs, Brookhaven Town officials said.

The town board voted 7-0 on last Thursday to demolish the Hawkins Avenue house in about 30 days. Engineers hired by the town said the structure has fire damage and holes in soffits large enough to see through them.

Town Councilman Kevin LaValle said the house, which is in foreclosure, is in danger of collapsing. “This has been sitting there for eight to nine years,” LaValle said. “We have to move on this soon.”

Assistant town attorney Penni McGrath said engineers found syringes and other signs of drug use in the house, which she said had been cited for numerous building and fire code violations.